There is just one week remaining in the 2023 NFL regular season, but there is still a whole lot left to play for. Division races, Wild Card chases, seeding. You name it, and it’s still left undecided.

But what is becoming more and more clear is who the very best teams in the league are with the playoffs approaching.

Here are the top five teams in the NFL after Week 17.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Part of me did not want to include the Eagles on this list at all, especially with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills surging into the postseason (the Miami Dolphins are still around, as well).

However, I can’t help but include Philadelphia here.

Yes, I know the Eagles just lost to the Arizona Cardinals at home. Yes, I know they’ve lost four of their last five games. Yes, I know their defense flat out stinks.

But these are the defending NFC champions we are talking about here, and they were 10-1 at one point.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t trust Philly at all, but there is still just too much talent here for me to write the team off. The Eagles could still very well make a deep playoff run.

But do I feel good about putting the Birds in the top five? Absolutely not.

4. Detroit Lions

The Lions had the chance to truly make their mark this past Saturday, but they fell to the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, it was in controversial fashion, but the standings don’t care about controversy.

Jared Goff put forth a rather miserable showing in the loss, making many (including myself) wonder if he is truly up to the task of leading a team to a Super Bowl title. He did bring the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl back in February 2019, but he fell flat in a loss to the New England Patriots.

On paper, however, Detroit has a terrific roster on both sides of the ball. The offense has explosive weapons. The defense has some playmakers. Dan Campbell has done a great job on the sideline.

The Lions have won 11 games for a reason. They are not pretenders, and they are not the same old Lions from years past. This is a different Detroit ballclub.

Now, do I think the Lions have enough to beat the San Francisco 49ers? No, but anything can happen in one game, and Detroit has proven that it can hang with just about anyone.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Last week, the Cowboys didn’t even make my list because they were coming off back-to-back losses, but they rebounded with a tight win over the Lions this past weekend.

Here is the thing with Dallas: when it is on top of its game, it could beat anyone in the NFL. Dak Prescott is leading a terrific offense, and CeeDee Lamb is right up there with Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown as one of the best wide receivers in football. Plus, the Micah Parsons-led defense can be ferocious.

The problem with the Cowboys is their consistency, as evidenced by their 3-5 record away from home.

Can Dallas ultimately beat the 49ers? San Francisco has been a thorn in the Cowboys’ side these last few seasons, and Mike McCarthy’s club is yet to come up with a proper solution.

Talent isn’t the issue with Dallas; execution is, and the team has simply not executed consistently enough. But even with all of that, the Cowboys are 11-5, and if they beat the Washington Commanders next Sunday, they will win the NFC East.

Even with all of its flaws, this squad is incredibly dangerous and is long overdue for a deep playoff run.

2. San Francisco 49ers

After getting thumped by the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas, the 49ers righted the ship in Week 17, hammering the Commanders by a score of 27-10.

Brock Purdy looked a whole lot better this time around after a nightmarish outing against Baltimore, and San Francisco’s defense appeared to get back on track.

The Niners have the most talented roster in the NFC, and a legitimate argument can be made that they boast the best roster on paper in the NFL, period. They have won seven of their last eight games, and outside of the Ravens, no team seems to be able to stop them.

Christian McCaffrey’s calf issue is a little concerning, but he should get plenty of rest now, as the 49ers have clinched a first-round bye.

There is no question that San Francisco is the favorite to win the NFC this winter. Perhaps the Niners’ biggest obstacle will be the Cowboys, who they destroyed 42-19 earlier this season.

1. Baltimore Ravens

After giving the 49ers a beating on Christmas, the Ravens went and humiliated the Dolphins by a score of 56-19 on Sunday afternoon.

Lamar Jackson may have put a bow on the MVP race in the win, going 18-for-21 with five touchdown passes. Baltimore’s defense suffocated Miami’s explosive offense, and now, the Ravens have won five games in a row heading into the season finale.

Baltimore also clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the victory, meaning any AFC team that hopes to get to the Super Bowl will have to go through M&T Bank Stadium.

I honestly thought that losing Mark Andrews several weeks ago would sabotage the Ravens’ chances, but they haven’t skipped a bit. Isaiah Likely has stepped up in a big way in place of Andrews, and Jackson is still finding ways to spread the football around without his favorite target.

The Ravens were in a similar situation back in 2019, but for some reason, this team feels a bit different. And in a good way.